DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Electoral Register

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the proportion of the armed forces (a) based in the UK and (b) based overseas who are registered to vote.

Peter Luff: The latest survey on service voter registration levels was conducted in 2010 by the Defence Analytical Services and Advice organisation. This survey indicates that 79% of service personnel based in the UK, and 48% of service personnel based overseas, are registered to vote. A copy of the report of this survey is available in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of recruits who enlisted (a) below the age of 18 and (b) aged 18 and above had been in service for 10 years or longer in the latest period for which figures are available.

Peter Luff: This information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of recruits who enlisted (a) below the age of 18 and (b) aged 18 and above extended their service contract beyond the minimum service period in the latest period for which figures are available.

Peter Luff: This required information is not held. While some information on extensions of service is maintained it is not broken down by age and date of birth.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of recruits who enlisted (a) below the age of 18 and (b) aged 18 and above left the armed forces before completing (i) phase two training and (ii) their minimum initial service period in the latest period for which figures are available.

Peter Luff: The required information is not held in the format requested. While information is available on the number who leave the armed forces each year, this is not held against date of birth, and the requested information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, the Army have conducted some work in the numbers leaving during training and have identified that in financial year 2010-11, 36.6% of under 18s left before the completion of their phase two training. 28.3% of those who enlisted over the age of 18 left before completing their training.

Armed Forces: Training

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) original budget, (b) projected final cost, (c) expected timescales for delivery, (d) primary contractor and (e) identity of additional consortium members are in relation to the Maritime Composite Training System Phase 1 project; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: The original budget for the Maritime Composite Training System Phase 1 was £75.61 million. The project was delivered in August 2011 and within budget at a final projected cost of £73.75 million.
	The Maritime Composite Training System project was not delivered by a consortium but by the prime contractor, BAE Systems Mission Systems.

Astute Class Submarines

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) original budget, (b) projected final cost, (c) expected timescales for delivery, (d) primary contractor and (e) identity of additional consortium members are in relation to the Astute Nuclear Submarine project.

Peter Luff: holding answer 22 November 2011
	As recorded in the Major Project Report 2011 recently published by the National Audit Office, the original approved budget and projected final costs for the Astute Class submarines are as follows:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Original budget Projected final cost 
			 Boats 1 to 3 (Batch 1) 2,223 3,480 
			 Boat 4 1,279 1,404 
			 Boat 5 623 586 
			 Boat 6 255 253 
		
	
	The current approved level of spend on Astute Boats 5 to 6 do not reflect the total costs of these boats as they undergo incremental approval. The Boat 5 approval includes the nuclear reactor, other long lead items and the initial build work. The Boat 6 approval includes the nuclear reactor core and long lead items.
	The cost increases are well documented through previous Major Projects Reports; however, the programme is now on a much firmer footing.
	HMS Astute achieved its in-service date in 2010. The timescales for in-service delivery of the remaining boats are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Delivery  date 
			 Ambush 2013 
			 Artful 2015 
			 Audacious 2018 
			 Anson 2020 
			 Boat 6 2022 
			 Boat 7 2024 
		
	
	The Astute Class submarines are not delivered by a consortium but by the prime contractor, BAE Systems Submarine Solutions.

BAE Systems

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from (a) trade unions and (b) individuals on the announcement of redundancies by BAE Systems.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence has not received any formal representations from trade unions or other staff networks following the announcement of job losses at BAE Systems. The Department has received some correspondence on this issue, it has been raised during other parliamentary and ministerial business and the Minister for International Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Aldershot (Mr Howarth), met the trade unionists representing workers at both Brough and Warton at the Conservative party conference. This limited correspondence reflects the fact that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have taken the lead within Government for working with the company, local authorities and local enterprise partnerships to make sure everything possible is done to help those affected at Brough, Warton and Samlesbury and other sites.

Defence: Lancashire

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the prospect of future job losses at defence manufacturing sites in Lancashire.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence's first responsibility when procuring equipment is to provide the armed forces with the capabilities they require at a cost which is affordable and represents value-for-money for the UK taxpayer. Future employment prospects are a matter for the companies concerned, although we recognise that our choices in defence acquisition have a significant and long-term impact on UK industry, and therefore on the livelihood of many of our citizens. The Government are actively supporting defence export campaigns overseas including those for the Typhoon fast-jet which is competing in various competitions including India, Japan, Malaysia and Qatar and which, if successful, will both protect and create jobs in Lancashire and in other parts of the UK.

Defence: Procurement

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) original budget, (b) projected final cost, (c) expected timescales for delivery, (d) primary contractor and (e) identity of additional consortium members are in relation to the Typhoon Future Capability Programme.

Peter Luff: holding answer 14 November 2011
	The original budget for the Typhoon Future Capability Programme was £449 million. The projected final cost is £458 million as at 31 March 2011. This increase is due to foreign exchange rate fluctuations. Both of these figures include the assessment, and demonstration and manufacture phases. The expected time scale for delivery, as set out in the 2011 Major Projects Review (in-service date) is June 2012. The primary contractor is the Eurofighter GmbH consortium, which comprises Alenia, BAE Systems and Cassidian.

Defence: Procurement

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contracts his Department has awarded through the Framework Agreement Technical Support process (a) since the Strategic Defence and Security Review and (b) in the financial year 2011-12; and what the value is of each such contract.

Peter Luff: The number of tasks awarded to companies providing technical support services under the Framework Agreement for Technical Support is 897 since the Strategic Defence and Security Review, (SDSR) and 345 in the financial year 2011-12 to date.
	The following table shows the number of tasks awarded by value band:
	
		
			  Tasks 
			 Since Strategic Defence and Security Review  
			 < £50,000.00 416 
			 £50,000.00 to £99,000.00 230 
			 £100,000.00 to £199,000.00 137 
			 £200,000.00 to £299,000.00 42 
			 £300,000.00 to £399,000.00 16 
			 £400,000.00 to £499,000.00 9 
			 £500,000.00 to £599,000.00 10 
			 £600,000.00 to £699,000.00 5 
			 £700,000.00 to £799,000.00 5 
			 £800,000.00 to £899,000.00 5 
			 £900,000.00 to £999,000.00 2 
			 £1 million to £1.999 million 11 
			 £2 million to £2.999 million 3 
			 £3 million to £3.999 million 3 
			 £4 million to £4.999 million 1 
			 £5 million+ 3 
			   
			 Financial year 2011-12  
			 < £50,000.00 125 
			 £50,000.00 to £99,000.00 101 
			 £100,000.00 to £199,000.00 65 
			 £200,000.00 to £299,000.00 12 
			 £300,000.00 to £399,000.00 9 
			 £400,000.00 to £499,000.00 4 
			 £500,000.00 to £599,000.00 4 
			 £600,000.00 to £699,000.00 3 
			 £700,000.00 to £799,000.00 2 
			 £800,000.00 to £899,000.00 5 
			 £900,000.00 to £999,000.00 1 
			 £1 million to £1.999 million 6 
			 £2 million to £2.999 million 2 
			 £3 million to £3.999 million 2 
			 £4 million to £4.999 million 1 
			 £5 million+ 3

Defence: Sales

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2011, Official Report, columns 413-4W, on the Navy, when the announcement was made that HMS Trafalgar had been declared surplus; and what the status is of HMS Turbulent.

Peter Luff: holding answer 24 November 2011
	HMS Trafalgar was withdrawn from service on 31 December 2009 and is currently being decommissioned and prepared for storage afloat at Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport prior to final disposal through the Submarine Dismantling Project. It is not normal practice to formally announce the decommissioning of Royal Navy submarines. HMS Turbulent is currently deployed on operations.
	In my answer to the hon. Member on 10 November 2011, Official Report, columns 413-14W, I stated that HMS Triumph has been declared surplus. It has since been brought to my attention that this is not the case. I apologise for the error made and this answer corrects the Official Report.

Apprentices

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether his Department has a policy on requirements for the provision of (a) apprenticeships and (b) other training by (i) his Department's prime contractors and (ii) suppliers in the supply chain of such contractors;
	(2)  how many apprenticeships have been created directly by contracts with his Department in each of the last three years.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence's policy requires that specific provisions on apprenticeships and other training are drawn up in our contracts where this is relevant to the performance of the contract. We also look at this issue as part of the supplier selection and contract award processes, where it is relevant to the procurement. We do not maintain centralised records of the number of apprenticeships created as a result of defence contracts. Defence suppliers are, however, among the largest employers of apprenticeships in the UK.

Departmental Assets

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assets with a value of £250,000 or more his Department has bought since May 2010; for what purpose; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: A list detailing assets with a value of over £250,000 that the Ministry of Defence has bought since May 2010 will be placed in the Library of the House. We are not able to provide a purpose for each item without incurring disproportionate cost. Information on every item bought has not been listed for the purpose of safeguarding national security.

Design Services

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what contracts his Department has awarded for design services since May 2010; and what information his Department holds on the location of such companies;
	(2)  how much his Department has spent on design in respect of (a) logos, (b) buildings, (c) advertising, (d) stationery and (e) campaigns in the last year for which figures are available.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence's (MOD)'s central management information records on contracts and expenditure do not include a specific category for design services, and the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Expenditure on design services across the MOD is determined by business need and must be appropriate, cost effective and a proper charge to public funds.

Food Procurement

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on food procurement in each year from 1997 to 2011.

Peter Luff: At any one time, some 70% of UK based armed forces personnel are catered for under a number of Catering, Retail and Leisure (CRL) and other multi-activity contracts (incorporating Pay As You Dine arrangements) to deliver this and other services. Food is procured at the contractors’ risk and the only payment received in respect of this is at the point of sale. The price of the core meal, covering breakfast, lunch and dinner is capped by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body.
	For UK based armed forces personnel not covered by these contractual arrangements and those serving on operations and overseas exercises, there is a single food supply contract for which the following information is available:
	
		
			 Single  food supply expenditure 
			 Financial Year £ million 
			 2001-02 113 
			 2002-03 114 
			 2003-04 139 
			 2004-05 128 
			 2005-06 139 
			 2006-07 135 
			 2007-08 145 
			 2008-09 176 
			 2009-10 165 
			 2010-11 199 
		
	
	These figures include the cost of food, administration and transport.
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has also procured Operational Ration Packs over the same period for which the following information is available:
	
		
			 Operational  ration pack expenditure 
			 Financial Year £ million 
			 2001-02 14.6 
			 2002-03 16.6 
			 2003-04 26.7 
			 2004-05 23.7 
			 2005-06 15.6 
			 2006-07 15.3 
			 2007-08 18.1 
			 2008-09 25.4 
			 2009-10 23.3 
			 2010-11 36.4 
		
	
	Financial records prior to Financial Year 2001-02 are no longer available.
	Increases to expenditure are attributable to food price inflation, implementing improvements in the nutritional quality of provisions and enhancements to the pre-deployment training package to ensure it reflects all aspects of the operational environment, including the catering system available.

Food Procurement

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of food served (a) to the armed forces and (b) in his Department is sourced locally by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: There is no generally accepted definition of what is meant by 'locally sourced food' and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not routinely collect information on the percentage of food sourced in this way.
	Catering for MOD civilian personnel employed at UK defence establishments is provided through regional prime contracts or under multi-activity contracts. Armed forces personnel 'in barracks' are primarily catered for through a number of Catering, Retail and Leisure (CRL) and other multi-activity contracts. Contractors appointed under these arrangements source on the open market consistent with meeting EU competition rules and quality standards.
	For armed forces personnel not covered by these contractual arrangements and those serving on operations and overseas exercises, there is a single food supply contract with Purple Foodservice Solutions Ltd (PFS). PFS lists approximately 1,150 different food related items for the armed forces in the core range price list. They estimate that approximately 60% of lines listed (excluding fresh produce) are sourced from suppliers within the UK. The percentage of UK produced goods changes regularly as a result of seasonality; value for money incentives and changes of supplier. Some products are manufactured using a number of ingredients from various countries including the UK while others, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, are sourced seasonally from a variety of countries.

Departmental Publications

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many copies of his Department's document, The Strategy for Defence, October 2011 have been published; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the cost to the public purse was of producing his Department's document, The Strategy for Defence, October 2011; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  who was sent a copy of his Department's document, The Strategy for Defence, October 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Hammond: The Strategy for Defence is the Ministry of Defence's topmost statement of its strategic direction. It provides the means by which the long-term strategic direction established by the 2010 National Security Strategy (Cm 7953) and Strategic Defence and Security Review (Cm 7948) will be implemented.
	A copy of the Strategy for Defence was sent to the right hon. Member for East Renfrewshire (Mr Murphy), the noble Lord, Lord Rosser of Ickenham, the noble Lady, Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde, my right hon. Friend the Member for North East Hampshire (Mr Arbuthnot) and all other members of the Defence Select Committee.
	The Strategy for Defence was published with a limited print run of 1,000 copies, at a total publishing cost of £716.66. It is freely available on the internet at:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/PolicyStrategyandPlanning/StrategyForDefence.htm

Departmental Redundancy

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many staff made redundant in his Department have been rehired by his Department (a) in a permanent post, (b) on a temporary or fixed-term contract and (c) as an external consultant in the last 12 months for which figures are available;
	(2)  whether any staff made redundant have been (a) rehired and (b) contracted to provide services to his Department in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what the cost was of redundancy payments to such staff; and what the likely cost will be of (i) rehiring and (ii) contracting such staff in the next 12 months.

Peter Luff: No civil servants who left the Ministry of Defence (MOD) employment on the grounds of redundancy between 1 November 2010 and 31 October 2011 have subsequently been rehired on employment contracts by MOD.
	MOD personnel who take up employment on leaving public service are obliged to seek clearance under the business appointment rules for public servants. Such clearance may be granted unconditionally or with conditions. For example, in the case of consultancies, there may be a requirement to seek official approval before accepting commissions of a particular nature, or from named employers. The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments publishes information on former senior Crown servants who have taken up appointments since 1 April 2010 on its website:
	http://acoba.independent.gov.uk/former_crown_servants_appointments.aspx
	The MOD does not hold centrally information on former employees who may have been engaged by companies to work on consultancy contracts or other contracts for services. We contract with companies to provide services within specific timescales. The assignment of individuals to particular contracts is a matter for the companies involved.

Domestic Violence

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many domestic violence awareness courses were held on army premises in England and Wales in the latest period for which figures are available.

Peter Luff: Information on the number of domestic violence awareness courses held on army premises in England and Wales is not held in the format requested.
	Domestic violence is an issue we take extremely seriously and personnel are provided with information and briefings on the subject. The Army Welfare Service has organised nine courses on domestic violence awareness to unit welfare staff this financial year. In addition, Regional Army Brigades hold awareness courses for their personnel to educate them about domestic abuse, as required.
	A new Joint Services Publication 913: “Tri-Service Policy on Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence” was recently published and a copy is available in the Library of the House.
	Free domestic abuse awareness training is also available online via the Independent Domestic Abuse Service website.

Military Aircraft

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the comparative intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities of (a) Sentinel R1 and (b) unmanned air systems; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence is reviewing the Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance programme, including both Sentinel R1 and Unmanned Air Systems.

Military Products

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of small UK businesses specialising in the design and manufacture of military products to supplying the armed forces in the (a) medium and (b) long-term;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the outcome of the strategic defence and security review on small UK businesses specialising in the design and manufacture of military products.

Peter Luff: The strategic defence and security review has been a necessary part of the process of bringing the Defence programme into balance with the resources available. We recognise that our choices in defence acquisition have a significant and long-term impact on UK industry and their supply chain, and therefore on the livelihood of many of our citizens.
	Small UK businesses provide a range of vital niche capabilities, often bringing innovation and responsiveness that we particularly value in responding to demanding and rapidly evolving military requirements. We have consulted through our Equipment, Support and Technology for UK Defence and Security Green Paper on ways to make opportunities more accessible to small companies, both directly and through prime contractors. The results of that consultation have been taken into account in developing the White Paper that I expect to publish next month.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Employment Agencies: EU Law

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to reduce the cost of implementation of the EU agency workers directive; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: On 23 November 2011, Official Report, columns 26-28WS, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills announced a commitment to review the paperwork obligations, within 18 months, of the agency workers regulations, identifying opportunities to simplify them. The Government will also monitor the impact of the regulations on our economy and contribute to the EU Commission's review of the directive in December 2013.

CABINET OFFICE

Charities: Inspections

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many statutory investigations into charities the Charity Commission carried out in each of the last three years; how many it expects to carry out in 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: I refer the hon. Member to the previous answers I gave on 17 October 2011, Official Report, columns 717-18W.

Immigration Controls: Multinational Companies

William Bain: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the level of overseas direct investment (a) in cash terms and (b) as a proportion of gross domestic product into (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales, (iv) England and (v) Northern Ireland was in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated November 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the level of overseas direct investment (a) in cash terms and (b) as a proportion of gross domestic product into (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales, (iv) England and (v) Northern Ireland was in each of the last five years (82737).
	The Office for National Statistics does not collect data for direct investment into the UK at a subnational level; it is only available for investment into the UK as a whole. The table provides figures for the financial flows and balance sheet levels of direct investment in the UK for 2006 to 2010, in both cash terms and as a percentage of gross domestic product.
	The information on the flows and levels of direct investment into the UK is consistent with the data published in the quarterly Balance of Payments Statistical Bulletin on 25 October 2011 and with the data published in the United Kingdom Balance of Payments Pink Book on 23 November 2011.
	
		
			 Foreign direct in vestment in the UK 
			  Financial flows (1) Levels, at end year (2) 
			  £ million As a percentage of GDP £ million As a percentage of GDP 
			 2006 84889 6.39 577338 43.5 
			 2007 99974 7.11 613833 43.7 
			 2008 48427 3.38 660371 46.1 
			 2009 45166 3.24 652280 46.8 
			 2010 28936 1.98 692947 47.5 
			 (1) The figures are consistent with the Financial Account, Table J of the UK Balance of Payments Statistical Bulletin Q2 2011. (2) The figures are consistent with the International Investment Position, Table K of the UK Balance of Payments Statistical Bulletin Q3 2011.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Tax: Students

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether it is his policy that students will continue to be exempt from council tax under his proposals for council tax benefit localisation.

Bob Neill: The Government have no plans to change the rules governing the council tax exemption for full-time students.

Empty Property: Council Tax

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will ensure adequate support for private landlords in the commercial property sector by reviewing his policy of applying full business rates to empty properties.

Bob Neill: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for York Outer (Julian Sturdy), on 26 January 2011, Official Report, column 2MC, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Patrick Mercer) on 8 February 2011, Official Report, column 178W.
	Business rates policy in Wales is a devolved matter.

Growing Places Fund

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes he expects will be built using funding from the Growing Places Fund.

Grant Shapps: The Growing Places Fund is intended to support local infrastructure projects which unlock housing and economic growth. It will be for local areas to decide priorities and which projects to support, and we have not set any Whitehall targets for the number of houses to be built.

Holiday Accommodation: Non-Domestic Rates

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many holiday let properties are registered for small business rate relief in each local authority area.

Bob Neill: This information is not collected centrally.

Local Government: Procurement

Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on the proportion of invoices by value paid by local government to suppliers within (a) 30, (b) 60 and (c) 90 days of receipt in each month of 2011.

Bob Neill: Information on the proportion of invoices paid by local authorities to suppliers within 30, 60, or 90 days of receipt is not collected centrally by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Recreation Spaces

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish detailed proposals on local green space designations.

Bob Neill: The draft National Planning Policy Framework published for consultation in July included our proposals for a new Local Green Space designation. Responses to the consultation are being given careful consideration. The Government are committed to publication of the final version of the framework by 31 March 2012, but intend to do so well ahead of that time.

Right to Buy Scheme

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether replacement homes will be required to be built in the area where a home is sold under the right to buy scheme.

Grant Shapps: ‘Laying the Foundations: A Housing Strategy for England’, published on 21 November 2011, outlined three possible models for the delivery of new homes to replace additional homes sold through the Right to Buy scheme. We will be consulting shortly on the best way to ensure delivery of replacement homes across England.

Second Homes: Council Tax

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties were entitled to second home council tax relief in each local authority area.

Bob Neill: Details of the number of dwellings that were registered as second homes for council tax purposes in each local authority area in England at the beginning of October 2011 were published in a statistical release on Wednesday 16 November and are available on the Department for Communities and Local Government website at
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/counciltaxbase2011
	The data are taken from the council tax base form completed annually in the autumn by all billing authorities in England and returned to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts Council England

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what budget Arts Council England has set for (a) the west midlands and (b) Birmingham in each of the next five years;
	(2)  what Arts Council England (a) allocated and (b) unallocated budgets for (i) the west midlands and (ii) Birmingham are for each of the next five years.

Edward Vaizey: Arts Council England's (ACE) regularly funded organisations (RFOs) are currently in the final year of their funding agreements, however, ACE have announced their decisions for the following three years for their national portfolio organisations (NPOs) and bridge delivery organisations (BDO). The following table shows funding for the west midlands and Birmingham. At this time, the indicative figures for 2015-16 are not available.
	
		
			 £ 
			  2011-12 (as RFOs) 2012-13 (as NPOs) 2013-14 (as NPOs) 2014-15 (as NPOs) 
			 West midlands total RFO/NPO funding 38,615,142 38,394,537 39,378,924 40,295,549 
			 West midlands BDO funding 0 1,124,000 1,152,999 1,183,208 
			 Total west midlands allocated funding 38,615,142 39,518,537 40,531,923 41,478,757 
			 Birmingham 18,021,675 17,394,446 17,841,751 18,237,957 
		
	
	Although ACE take into account the geographical balance of their “Grants for the Arts” and “Strategic funding portfolios” when making decisions, they do not set separate budgets for local authority areas, and are unable to provide figures into the future for unallocated budgets by locality.

Arts Council England

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much Arts Council England plans to allocate to (a) Birmingham, (b) Newcastle, (c) Wakefield, (d) Manchester, (e) Leeds, (f) Liverpool, (g) Coventry, (h) Bristol, (i) Sheffield, (j) Bradford, (k) Leicester and (l) Nottingham in each of the next five years.

Edward Vaizey: Arts Council England's (ACE) regularly funded organisations are currently in the final year of their funding agreements, however, ACE have announced their decisions for the following three years for their national portfolio organisations (NPOs) and bridge delivery organisations.
	The following tables list the breakdown of this funding by the local authorities requested. At this point in time, indicative figures for 2015-16 and 2016-17 are not available.
	
		
			 NPO funding 
			 £ 
			 Local authority 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 
			 (a) Birmingham 17,394,446 17,841,751 18,237,957 
			 (b) Newcastle upon Tyne 5,392,516 5,631,012 5,662,303 
			 (c) Wakefield 2,393,374 2,450,815 2,515,833 
			 (d) Manchester 8,855,333 9,067,506 9,279,515 
			 (e) Leeds 16,234,055 16,627,854 17,056,419 
			 (f) Liverpool 8,068,483 8,250,696 8,507,338 
			 (g) Coventry 1,591,103 1,627,698 .1,671,909 
			 (h) Bristol 4,092,875 4,187,010 4,295,875 
			 (i) Sheffield 2,564,832 2,624,725 2,686,010 
			 (j) Bradford 1,123,596 1,163,478 1,200,718 
			 (k) Leicester 2,440,400 2,496,529 2,561,440 
			 (l) Nottingham 4,004,400 4,096,501 4,203,012 
		
	
	
		
			 Bridge delivery organisations 
			 £ 
			  2012-13 2013-14 
			 Leicester 900,000 923,220 
			 Leeds 1,124,000 1,152,999

Arts Council England

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that the Arts Council England's Bridge Network organisations cover every region of the country.

Edward Vaizey: From April 2012, each region of England will have a dedicated Bridge Network Organisation.
	The Bridge organisations are:
	East: Norfolk and Norwich Festival, Royal Opera House
	East Midlands: Mighty Creatives
	London: A New Direction working with four 'Associate Bridge organisations' Sadlers Wells, Roundhouse, Apples and Snakes, and Lyric Hammersmith
	North East: The Sage Gateshead
	North West: Curious Minds
	South East: Artswork
	South West: RIO (Real Ideas Organisation)
	West Midlands: Black Country Children's Services Improvement Partnership
	Yorkshire: Cape UK

Arts: Birmingham

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many jobs he estimates will be created through the Birmingham Creative City programme by (a) 2013, (b) 2015, (c) 2017 and (d) 2019.

Edward Vaizey: The Birmingham 'Creative City' initiative is led by Birmingham city council and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) with a range of other partners. This Department fully supports their plans. The overall aims of the LEP are to create 100,000 private sector jobs by 2020, towards which the 'Creative City' initiative will contribute. A further breakdown of the number of jobs created specifically by the 'Creative City' initiative, and in the years leading up to 2020, is not available.

Arts: Finance

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much National Lottery funding the (a) Birmingham Eastside, (b) Southampton, (c) Doncaster, (d) Leicester and (e) Colchester creative quarter projects will receive in each of the next four years.

Edward Vaizey: Decisions on lottery funding are a matter for the lottery distributing bodies to determine, independently of Government, in response to applications that they receive. It is not possible therefore to determine what national lottery support these projects would receive in future years. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 15 November 2011, Official Report, column 668W, for information about the ways in which we are supporting the cultural projects in Birmingham Eastside, Southampton, Doncaster, Leicester and Colchester.

Design Services

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the extent of reliance of Government departments on London-based design companies to undertake design work for them; and if he will take steps to increase the number of design companies based outside London that are used by the Government.

Edward Vaizey: No overall assessment has been made as design procurement is a matter for individual Departments. However, all design work across Government is procured through approved frameworks that feature a range of designers based in and outside of London.

Olympic Games: Russia

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions the Royal Parks Authority has had with the organisers of the Sochi Winter Olympics on possible siting of advertisements in Hyde Park; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Royal Parks is in contact with Sochi 2014 Organising Committee about a number of issues. There have been no discussions about the siting of advertising in Hyde park.

Tate Galleries

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what representations he has received supporting the opening of further branches of the Tate Gallery in Scotland and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 22 November 2011
	This Department has not received representations of support to open further branches of the Tate Gallery in Scotland and Wales. The Tate's intention is to work in partnership and help strengthen access to the visual arts beyond its own four galleries in London, Liverpool and St Ives. This is achieved through the Plus Tate programme, which works with 18 venues across the UK to foster a climate of partnership and exchange:
	http://www.tate.org.uk/about/ourpriorities/audiences/tatenational/tateconnects/
	through the Turner Prize (which in 2011 will be held at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead), and through Artist Rooms, a national collection of contemporary art jointly owned and managed by the National Galleries of Scotland and Tate, which is shared with museums and galleries throughout the UK.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Written Questions: Government Responses

Natascha Engel: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to answer question 41654, on public reading stages for bills, tabled by the hon. Member for North East Derbyshire on 15 February 2011 for answer on 17 February 2011.

Nicholas Clegg: I answered the hon. Member’s question on 14 November 2011, Official Report, column 533W.

EDUCATION

Internet Bullying

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to tackle online bullying.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 23 November 2011
	Online bullying, or cyber-bullying, is a key issue of concern for children and young people. The Government made a clear commitment to tackle all forms of bullying in the Schools White Paper, “The Importance of Teaching”. In July 2011 we issued advice for schools on preventing and tackling bullying, including cyber-bullying. This advice also provides information on anti-bullying resources and specialist support.
	We have updated statutory guidance to school governors, clarifying their legal powers to tackle bullying and cyber-bullying; and new powers in the Education Act 2011 strengthen the authority of teachers to enforce discipline and promote good behaviour.
	The new Ofsted inspection framework, which comes into force in January next year, will place a sharper focus on behaviour and bullying, increasing schools' accountability in this area.
	In addition, the Department sponsors Beatbullying to deliver CyberMentors which is a unique peer mentoring support programme, available to children and young people both offline and online.
	Together with the Minister for Crime and Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (James Brokenshire), I jointly chair the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS). This brings together over 180 organisations and individuals from government, industry, law enforcement, academia, charities and parenting groups. Its aim is to work in partnership to help keep children and young people safe online. One of the projects being taken forward by the council is focused on raising the awareness and understanding of children and young people, parents, and schools, of internet safety issues including cyber-bullying.

Official Photographs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many official photographs have been taken of (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials in his Department for use in Government publications since May 2010; how many staff of his Department are expected to undertake photography of the Ministerial and senior leadership team as part of their duties; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: The Department has taken one set of official photographs of Ministers since May 2010. As part of their wider duties, a small number of communications officers take digital photographs of Ministers at official events and visits for publication on the Department's website and digital media.

Head Teachers: Recruitment

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to ensure high quality head teachers are recruited in schools.

Nick Gibb: The National Professional Qualification for Headship, delivered through the National College for School Leadership, is designed to prepare candidates for headship. To ensure that the qualification continues to provide the key skills required for leadership the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has asked the National College to undertake a full review of the qualification.
	The Department also funds the National College to work with local authorities and schools to identify, develop and recruit high quality leaders, particularly in those areas experiencing the greatest difficulties. This work will increasingly transfer to the new network of teaching schools. In addition, the college is funded to provide a range of leadership development programmes to identify and train the next generation of school leaders. This includes the Future Leaders programme which aims to support talented teachers into headship in four years. The Academies programme is also providing the opportunity for great heads to totally transform underperforming schools.

Schools: Sports

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many secondary schools have received funding for the release of PE teachers to organise School Games to date; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 22 November  2011 
	The Department has arranged for 4,189 secondary schools to be paid to release a PE teacher for one day a week to promote competitive sport. The payments were made through local authorities and the Young People's Learning Agency. Schools are encouraged to use these teachers to provide specialist PE and sport support to local primary schools and within their own school; to embed good practice; and to provide more competitive sport for all pupils, including the School Games.

Vocational Guidance

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the percentage change in each local authority's (a) total and (b) per capita expenditure on Connexions services between 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Nick Gibb: We do not hold information on expenditure on Connexions and careers services by local authorities. In 2009-10 and 2010-11, Connexions funding was paid to local authorities as part of the Area Based Grant. This was not ringfenced and local authorities were free to use the money to support the delivery of local, regional and national priorities in their areas.

Young People: Unemployment

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people aged between 16 and 19 were not in education, training or employment in (a) Dartford constituency and (b) Kent in each of the last five years.

Tim Loughton: The official national estimates of the number and proportion of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in England are published by the Department in a Statistical First Release (SFR) each June. However, these data cannot be disaggregated to parliamentary constituency level because they are in part based on sample data for employment.
	We can estimate the number and proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds NEET at a sub-national level using data collected by local authorities. The figures for 16 to 18-year-olds who were NEET in each year between 2006/07 and 2010/11, for the Kent local authority, are shown in the following table. Note that due to methodological differences, estimates for young people NEET based on local authority data tend to be lower than the official estimates for NEET in the SFR.
	
		
			 Number and proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds NEET (1) 
			  Average number NEET in the three months November to January—Kent 
			  Number Percentage of 16 to 18 year cohort 
			 2006-07 2,958 6.4 
			 2007-08 2,531 5.2 
			 2008-09 2,283 4.7 
			 2009-10 2,438 4.9 
			 2010-11 2,443 4.9 
			 (1 )Actual age. Note: Figures for 19-year-olds are not available. Source: CCIS.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Biofuels

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the UK's potential to achieve self-sufficiency in the sourcing of biomass; over what period such self-sufficiency could be achieved; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 November 2011, Official Report, column 35-36W.

Carbon Emissions

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department (a) is considering and (b) plans to consider the use of (i) air capture and (ii) other types of mitigation technology in meeting the carbon emission targets for 2050.

Gregory Barker: We recognise that air-capture and other geo-engineering technologies may have a role to play in the future in supporting our climate change mitigation efforts, but current understanding of the risks, benefits, impacts, costs and feasibility of these techniques is at a very low level. Research is needed to address these evidence gaps before their potential role in meeting emission targets can be addressed, and we follow the activities of researchers in this field with interest.
	Meanwhile our priority is to tackle the human causes of global warming at source by reducing human emissions of greenhouse gas emissions. We are committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors in order to transition to a low-carbon economy and achieve our 2050 target.

Carbon Emissions

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the contribution of mitigation technologies such as air capture to reducing carbon emissions.

Gregory Barker: Technologies such as air-capture are at a very immature stage; current understanding of the risks, benefits, impacts, costs and feasibility is at a very low level and therefore we cannot say what contribution they may make. However we follow developments closely.

Climate Change Conference

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take during the climate negotiations in Durban to ensure rules for land use, drainage and foresting reflect the actual emissions from logging forests and changes in other land uses.

Gregory Barker: Our aim is that the LULUCF sector should make a full contribution to emissions mitigation in a future climate agreement, including proper accounting of increases and decreases in carbon stocks due to bio-energy and other drivers. We want developed countries to include all managed forests on a mandatory basis and to introduce a new activity covering wetland drainage and -rewetting. We shall expedite as far as possible inclusion of non-forestry activities, which also cover crop-and grazing land management. These will probably remain voluntary pending the outcome of scientific work on more comprehensive approaches. For developing countries we aim to agree a decision or decisions on finance, methodological issues and safeguards related to reduced emission from deforestation and forest degradation; and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

Departmental Audit

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many internal audits have taken place (a) in his Department and (b) in the non-departmental bodies for which his Department is responsible in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The Department and each non-departmental body have annual internal audit programmes delivered by independent internal audit functions reporting to the appropriate accounting officers, approved and monitored by audit committees and delivered throughout the year to agreed schedules.

Energy: Exports

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to encourage the sale of (a) oil, (b) gas, (c) petroleum and (d) electricity to other countries; what his policy is on such sales; when it was last revised; what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the matter; what recent representations he has received from members of the public on the matter; how many hon. Members wrote to his Department on behalf of constituents on the matter in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The Department makes no special provision to encourage such sales to other countries. Government policy is to promote effective energy markets and encourage and support trade. This has not been the subject of recent discussions with ministerial colleagues. Correspondence records do not indicate recent representations on this matter.

Energy: Housing

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many hon. Members wrote to his Department on behalf of constituents about (a) his plans to alleviate fuel poverty in the private rented sector, (b) the operation of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000 and (c) the disconnection of (i) gas and (ii) electricity supplies in the last 12 months; what the average time taken to reply was; if he will place in the Library a copy of each such reply; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Gregory Barker: DECC aims to reply to 80% of ministerial correspondence within 15 working days of receipt. In the last 12 months:
	(a) 148 hon. Members wrote 240 letters to DECC about alleviating fuel poverty in the private rented sector. Two replies, or 1%, were overdue.
	(b) 216 hon. Members wrote 378 letters to DECC about the operation of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000. 37 replies, or 10%, were overdue.
	(c) (i) Two hon. Members wrote two letters to DECC about the disconnection of gas supplies. Both replies were overdue.
	(ii) No hon. Members wrote to DECC about the disconnection of electricity supplies.
	It would not be appropriate to provide the Libraries of the House with copies of correspondence relating to individuals for data protection reasons.

Energy: Meters

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what consideration his Department has given to costs incurred by consumers with early smart or smart-type meters when switching suppliers;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that energy suppliers do not refuse new customers because they have a smart or smart-type meter;
	(3)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that rental agreements between smart meter providers and energy suppliers do not present barriers to consumers switching suppliers.

Charles Hendry: There should be no cost when switching supplier unless the consumer has entered into a contract with penalties for early termination. Energy suppliers are required to offer all domestic consumers terms for supply; the presence of a smart-type meter does not change this obligation. Ofgem has consulted on proposals that will require suppliers to work together to ensure that domestic customers with smart meters can switch supplier while maintaining smart functionality where possible. I understand that it plans to publish final proposals by the end of the year.

Energy: Meters

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what his Department's most recent estimate is of the average proportion of a consumer's domestic energy costs which will be used to fund the smart meter roll-out;
	(2)  on what date payments towards the smart meter roll-out will (a) begin and (b) cease to be collected from consumers' bills;
	(3)  what consideration he has given to placing a cap on the funding to be provided from consumers for the smart meter roll-out.

Charles Hendry: We expect consumers to benefit from lower energy bills as a result of the smart meters roll-out. This benefit is driven by consumers using energy more efficiently and by suppliers passing through net cost savings. For example, suppliers will be able to greatly reduce the number of premises they visit. The updated impact assessment, published in August 2011, estimates that the smart meter roll-out will reduce the average household electricity and gas bill by £22 in 2020—equating to around 2% of the total bill—and by £42 in 2030.
	In the interim period, as suppliers are responsible for funding the equipment and installations, we expect that they will pass these additional costs through to consumers. In 2015, when the bill increase is most pronounced, we estimate the average annual bill will be £6 higher per household; this equates to less than 1% of the total bill. As the roll-out progresses, the costs to suppliers will decrease and they will realise net savings. Energy suppliers have commercial incentives to keep their costs to a minimum. Savings are expected to be passed on to consumers by suppliers, under competitive pressures, in the form of lower energy prices.

Feed-In Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what definition of community benefit in respect of his Department's consultation on feed-in tariffs he uses; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The recently published consultation on feed-in tariffs (FITs) states that the Government are considering whether more could be done to enable genuine community projects to be able to fully benefit from FITs. The forthcoming second consultation on the comprehensive review will seek views on the scope of a definition of "community scheme" and how it will be applied.

Feed-In Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether local authorities are to be included within the scope of community benefit proposed in respect of feed-in tariff changes; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The recently published consultation on feed-in tariffs states that the Government are considering whether more could be done to enable genuine community projects to be able to fully benefit from FITs. The forthcoming second consultation on the comprehensive review will seek views on the scope of a definition of community scheme including whether it should include local authorities.

Feed-In Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with Ofgem on his proposed changes to feed-in tariffs; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: DECC Ministers have regular discussions with Ofgem on a range of issues which includes the proposed changes to feed-in tariffs for solar photovoltaics under Phase 1 of the comprehensive review. There has also been contact on these proposals at official level.

Green Deal Scheme: Mobile Homes

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether park homes are to be eligible for assistance under the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: Park homes will be able to apply for the Green Deal as long as they fulfil the same criteria as other types of eligible buildings. For example, every property will require an EPC assessment before a Green Deal charge is agreed and the home must be supplied by a licensed electricity supplier.

Natural Gas: Exploration

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect of shale gas extraction on future energy prices.

Charles Hendry: The global prospects for the extraction of shale gas formed part of the consideration in compiling DECC's long run fossil fuel price projections. The projections were developed using estimated oil-linked prices (this gas/oil price link is expected to weaken in the longer term) and estimates of the long run cost of extracting and supplying gas to the UK. This latter cost takes into account the cost of exploiting reserves of conventional and unconventional gas resources including shale gas.
	The growth in unconventional gas production in the US has already, in conjunction with other factors, helped to depress global spot wholesale gas prices by reducing the US need for LNG imports. The prospects for unconventional gas production outside North America are uncertain. Most analysts suggest that a range of factors make unconventional gas more costly and harder to access in regions outside North America. Moreover, there is a greater abundance of conventional gas in many regions outside North America which would reduce the need for unconventional gas production in these regions.
	For the UK, there are considerable uncertainties surrounding both the extent to which shale gas-in-place is geologically, commercially and environmentally viable to extract and the potential impact on gas prices. Cuadrilla Resources, currently the only company conducting shale gas exploration in the UK, have recently estimated that there are substantial quantities of gas-in-place within the shale deposits under their exploration licences in Lancashire. However, the size of the resource is not yet established, and the commercial potential is subject to additional uncertainty. Given the uncertainties, DECC has not yet made an assessment of this or other estimates of UK shale on gas prices.

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether any impact assessment his Department has undertaken on the proposed reductions to solar photovoltaic feed-in tariffs considered loss of income to solar photovoltaic manufacturing and installation companies.

Gregory Barker: DECC does not make estimates of the income of companies in the solar photovoltaic (PV) sector. The Impact Assessment accompanying the Government's consultation on Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) for solar photovoltaics (PV), available at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/consultation/fits-comp-review-p1/3416-fits-IA-solar-pv-draft.pdf
	sets out the impact of our proposals on FITs support, generation and jobs.

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made on the number of jobs that would be lost as a result of the proposed reduction in solar photovoltaic feed-in tariffs.

Gregory Barker: We estimate that, based on the number of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations by the end of October 2011, around 8,000 to 14,000 gross full time equivalent (FTE) jobs have been supported by solar PV since the introduction of the Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) scheme. The total number of people doing some solar PV work is likely to be higher than this range because those who are involved in solar PV installations are also likely to undertake other tasks linked to their employment.
	In the Impact Assessment supporting the consultation on FITs for solar PV:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/consultation/fits-comp-review-p1/3416-fits-IA-solar-pv-draft.pdf
	we estimate that 1,000 to 10,000 gross FTE could be created in this sector in the three years to 2014-15 under our proposals. This estimate relates to solar PV installations only. Furthermore, it should be noted that current tariffs are providing returns well in excess of the 5% that was intended when the FITs scheme was launched. Any jobs that are affected are dependent on rates of support above those the scheme was intended to provide, and should not therefore be considered sustainable.

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect on investment in the solar photovoltaic industry of the proposed reduction in solar photovoltaic feed-in tariffs.

Gregory Barker: An Impact Assessment has been published to support the consultation on feed-in tariffs for solar photovoltaics (PV). This sets out the impact on generation of the changes proposed in the consultation. The Impact Assessment is available at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/consultation/fits-comp-review-p1/3416-fits-IA-solar-pv-draft.pdf

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which sites eligible under the solar photovoltaic feed-in tariff scheme (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have visited in the last 12 months.

Gregory Barker: Ministers at DECC have been on a number of visits to sites across the UK in the last 12 months, some of which may have installed microgeneration technologies. However, we do not keep records of whether each of the sites visited was eligible for the FIT.

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what legal advice he sought prior to his decision to reduce the feed-in tariff for solar photovoltaics.

Gregory Barker: Legal advice obtained by the Department is confidential and the subject of legal professional privilege.

Solar Power: Social Rented Housing

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to support solar photovoltaic schemes installed in social housing.

Gregory Barker: The recently published consultation on Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) states that the Government are considering whether more could be done to enable genuine community projects to be able to fully benefit from FITs. The forthcoming second consultation on the comprehensive review will seek views on the scope of a definition of "community scheme" and how it will be applied including in regard to social housing.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Aung San Suu Kyi

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will meet Aung San Suu Kyi to discuss democracy in Burma.

Jeremy Browne: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), discussed recent developments in Burma with Aung San Suu Kyi by telephone on 20 November 2011, following the National League for Democracy's decision to re-register as a political party. They discussed prospects for further reform as well as the UK Government's concerns over continued human rights abuses, including the continued detention of political prisoners and the ongoing conflict in ethnic minority border areas.
	The Secretary of State for International Development, the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), raised similar points during his meetings with Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the Burmese Government, including the President, during his visit to Burma on 15-17 November.

Cluster Munitions

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his international counterpart on the international prohibition on the deployment of cluster bombs; if the UK will maintain support for the prohibition in its current form; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The UK is committed to ridding the world of cluster munitions. We believe the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) is a crucial mechanism for achieving this goal and will maintain our support for prohibition in its current form. We continue to use all appropriate bilateral and multilateral opportunities to press for countries to join the CCM and give up cluster munitions. In this regard, Ministers and officials regularly raise the CCM with non-states parties.

Egypt: Politics and Government

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Egyptian authorities on the treatment of democracy protestors in (a) Cairo and (b) Egypt.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), issued a statement on 23 November 2011 expressing his deep concern about the unacceptable violence and loss of life which has taken place around Tahrir Square in Cairo and in other parts of Egypt, and his concern about reports of dangerous forms of gas being used against protesters as well as live ammunition. The Secretary of State called on the Egyptian authorities to respect the right of peaceful protest and immediately cease the use of violence against protestors, including live fire and the use of gas, and for all those who are responsible for such disproportionate violence against peaceful protesters to be held to account.

Iran: Nuclear Power

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is considering as the UK's contribution to the international response to Iran's nuclear programme.

Alistair Burt: On 21 November, the Government decided to sever all links with Iranian banks. The US and Canada announced further restrictions against Iran at the same time.
	These measures followed the International Atomic Energy Agency's November report about the Iranian nuclear programme and its military dimensions. The UK, along with other members of the international community, supported a resolution of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board on 18 November expressing increasing concern about the Iranian programme. Over the coming days, we shall be working closely with our EU partners to tighten EU sanctions on the nuclear programme and urging others to take similar robust action. Iran should not doubt the resolve of the international community to address the threat posed by its nuclear ambitions.

Iran: Prisoners

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on the detention of Pastor Nadarkhani; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We remain deeply concerned about the sentence handed out to Pastor Nadarkhani. In a statement on 28 September 2011, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), deplored reports that Pastor Nadarkhani was being forced to recant his faith or face the death penalty. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have raised Pastor Nadarkhani's case with the Iranian authorities on a number of occasions, seeking further information about Pastor Nadarkhani's situation, and assurances he will not be punished for his religious beliefs. In addition, we have taken co-ordinated action with our EU partners to address Iran's appalling human rights record, imposing travel bans and asset freezes on over 60 Iranians responsible for abuses, including Government ministers and members of the judiciary. We and our EU partners will continue to raise Pastor Nadarkhani's case and to insist that his sentence is overturned.

Libya: War Crimes

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge the National Transitional Council in Libya to hand over Saif al-Islam to the International Criminal Court.

Alistair Burt: The Government strongly support the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the co-operation between the ICC and Libya's Transitional Government regarding arrangements for the prosecution of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi. During his visit to Libya on 22-23 November, the ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo said that it was Libya's right to try Saif al-Islam Gaddafi provided that the judicial process meets certain standards. Ocampo said that the current intention was to consider appropriate steps to sequence potential ICC and Libyan action, and the ICC would enter into discussion with the Libyan authorities over the “modalities of the prosecution”. We look forward to the outcome of these discussions.

Saudi Arabia: GPT

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any discussion has taken place between the Saudi government and (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department or of the Ministry of Defence about allegations of bribery against GPT, the GPT contract or the potential investigation by the Serious Fraud Office into GPT.

Alistair Burt: We have not held any discussions at ministerial level with Saudi Government about allegations of bribery against GPT. The matter has, however, been discussed between my officials and representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a number of occasions.
	Any questions in relation to the Ministry of Defence are a matter for the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond).

TREASURY

Capital Allowances

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the effective financial benefit was received by each business sector due to capital investment allowance claims in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

David Gauke: The information requested is not available.

Capital Allowances

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will raise the rate of income tax relief on the Enterprise Investment Scheme to the marginal rate.

David Gauke: The rate of income tax relief for the Enterprise Investment Scheme was raised from 20% to 30% at Budget 2011, for investments made from April 2011.

Capital Allowances

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will withdraw his plan to reduce the annual investment allowance from £100,000 to £25,000 from April 2012.

David Gauke: The Government currently have no plans to withdraw the reduction in the annual investment allowance from April 2012.

Capital Allowances

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will withdraw his plans to reduce capital allowances.

David Gauke: The Government currently have no plans to withdraw the reduction in capital allowances rates from April 2012.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 26 October 2011 regarding a constituent, reference 1/95574/2011.

David Gauke: I have replied to the hon. Member.

Research and Development Tax Credit

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to reform research and development tax credits by providing businesses with a credit against cost; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The Government have recently consulted on the case for introducing an 'above the line' R and D tax credit and is currently considering the responses.

PRIME MINISTER

Rendition

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Prime Minister what his policy is on the involvement of the UK's security and intelligence agencies in rendition operations; and if he will make a statement.

David Cameron: I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement I made on 10 November 2011, Official Report, column 25WS.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the future (a) number and (b) location of accident and emergency major trauma units.

Simon Burns: A regional trauma network is comprised of a major trauma centre and 8-12 trauma units. 22 major trauma centres (MTCs) have been proposed, with locations determined by national health service strategic health authorities. The major trauma units will be located in adjacent trusts.
	There is a clear clinical distinction between major trauma (multiple injuries, several organ systems/body parts, small numbers of patients) and general trauma (often single injuries, greater numbers of patients). The principle of regional trauma networks is to create inclusive networks that will deliver patients with life threatening (multiple) injuries to the most appropriate MTC with the right specialists and equipment to provide definitive care by a multidisciplinary group of professionals.
	Patients arriving in the trauma units will include: patients who are considered to have injuries not requiring the expertise of the MTC; those critically injured patients for whom direct transfer to the MTC could adversely affect outcome, for example airway obstruction or catastrophic haemorrhage; and injured patients who are not critically unstable but who will benefit from specialist care (e.g. spine, pelvis, facial trauma).
	The MTCs in these networks will improve the care of patients who suffer major trauma in the region concerned by:
	ensuring that all seriously injured patients are assessed on arrival in the Emergency Department by a consultant 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
	improving the speed with which patients receive time critical investigations such as computed tomography scanning and access to interventional radiology services for haemorrhage; and
	on site access to all necessary specialties reducing the need for secondary transfers of critically ill patients.

Ambulance Services: Emergency Calls

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many 999 calls in the East Midlands were not actioned until after NHS Direct had rung the caller back, in the last month.

Simon Burns: The information requested is not available.
	East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EMAS) receive nearly 1,000 emergency calls each day. All of these are actioned immediately by control operators asking callers a series of medical questions, the answers to which determine how the call will be managed. This can take the form of EMAS providing medical advice over the phone, responding as a solo paramedic or conventional ambulance or, in the case of low level medical problems, forwarding the call to NHS Direct for appropriate advice to be provided.

Ambulance Services: Emergency Calls

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average time was between a 999 call being made and an ambulance being dispatched in the East Midlands in the last month.

Simon Burns: The information requested is not available. Data for response times and category of call for East Midlands Ambulance NHS Trust for 2010-11 is available in the following table:
	
		
			  Category A calls Category B calls 
			  Total number of incidents with emergency response (Thousand) Response within eight minutes (%) Total number of incidents with ambulance vehicle arriving (Thousand) Response within 19 minutes (%) Total number of incidents with ambulance vehicle arriving (Thousand) Response within 19 minutes (%) 
			 Ambulance service       
			 East Midlands 205.2 72.4 205.0 93.5 247.1 88.3 
			 Source: The Information Centre for health and social care

Freedom of Information

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 18 January 2011, Official Report, column 736W, on transition programme, when his Department's internal review of the Freedom of Information request was concluded; and when he plans to provide the information sought in the original question.

Simon Burns: The Department concluded its internal review about the transition programme Freedom of Information request on 2 March 2011 and informed the right hon. Member of the outcome on this date.
	The Department is currently considering a Decision Notice from the Information Commissioner about this issue.

Diabetes: Health Services

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure local health organisations use the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Commissioning Guide for Insulin Pump Therapy to help them plan and deliver insulin pump therapy services; and what steps he is taking to ensure such organisations are taking steps to meet the standard benchmark rate set out in that guide for the uptake of insulin pump therapy by 12 per cent. of people with type 1 diabetes.

Paul Burstow: It is for the national health service locally to determine its response to this guidance, but the Department included a specific reference to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance for insulin pump therapy services in the NHS Operating Framework for 2011-12 to encourage local health organisations to use the guidance to help them plan and deliver services. The Framework states that NHS commissioners and providers should do more to ensure insulin pumps are available for those people with diabetes that meet the criteria recommended by NICE. The NHS Technology Adoption Centre has also published guidance to support NHS organisations in the adoption of these devices.

General Practitioners: Telephone Numbers

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of GP surgeries using 08 telephone numbers.

Simon Burns: The Department has made no estimate of the number of general practitioner surgeries in England that use telephone numbers that begin with 08.
	The Department issued guidance and directions to national health service bodies in December 2009 on the cost of telephone calls, which prohibit the use of telephone numbers which charge the patient more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to contact the NHS. It is currently the responsibility of primary care trusts to ensure that local practices are compliant with the Directions and guidance.

General Practitioners: Telephone Numbers

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the steps which (a) can be taken by primary care trusts and (b) could be taken by the proposed Health and Wellbeing Boards and Clinical Commissioning Groups to discourage GP practices from using 08 telephone numbers.

Simon Burns: The Department issued guidance and Directions to national health service bodies in December 2009 on the cost of telephone calls, which prohibit the use of telephone numbers which charge, the patient more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to contact the national health service. These Directions suggest a number of steps to be taken to ensure general practice surgeries are compliant, such as: varying the terms of the contract; renegotiating the terms of the contract; terminating the contract; or introducing a system where the NHS body calls the patient back at its own expense.

Gurkhas: Aldershot

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) he and (b) his Department have had with Rushmoor borough council on funding to help Gurkha immigrants settle in Aldershot.

Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has had no discussions with Rushmoor borough council on funding to help ex-Gurkhas who have settled in Aldershot. The Department of Health is represented on the Gurkha Settlement Cross Government Working Group of officials. Mr Andrew Lloyd, the chief executive of Rushmoor borough council, attended a meeting of that group on 23 May 2011. A Gurkha Support Fund of £1.5 million has now been established and will be administered by the Department for Communities and Local Government, with funding contributions from the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office.

Health Professions: Training

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce a statutory training regime for healthcare assistants.

Anne Milton: We have commissioned Skills for Health and Skills for Care to develop a code of conduct and minimum training standards for healthcare support workers and adult social care workers in England.
	We will receive their final report and recommendations by September 2012. The Government's expectation is that the new code and training standards would be used in conjunction with voluntary registers as part of the standards for inclusion on the register.

Health and Wellbeing

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements he has made for creation of health and wellbeing boards in (a) Birmingham, (b) Newcastle, (c) Wakefield, (d) Manchester, (e) Leeds, (f) Liverpool, (g) Coventry, (h) Bristol, (i) Sheffield, (j) Bradford, (k) Leicester and (l) Nottingham.

Paul Burstow: The Health and Social Care Bill establishes health and wellbeing boards on a statutory basis in every upper-tier local authority in England. They will operate in shadow form from April 2012, and take on their statutory functions from April 2013.
	Birmingham, Newcastle, Wakefield, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Coventry, Bristol, Sheffield, Bradford, Leicester and Nottingham have signed up as early implementers of health and wellbeing boards. It is for these cities, working in partnership to put in place their own arrangements for developing health and wellbeing boards.
	The Department, together with the Local Government Group and other stakeholders, has set up a National Learning Network with early implementer health and wellbeing boards to ensure that boards develop an understanding of how they can be more effective in increasing accountability, improving services and improving the health and wellbeing of local communities.

Homeless Link: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding the Homeless Link received from his Department in 2010-11; how much it will receive in 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Department has allocated the following funding to Homeless Link:
	2010-11: £68,641
	2011-12: £25,000.
	It should be noted that funding for 2011-12 represents the latest allocations and additional funding could be allocated in the remaining months of the financial year.
	Homeless Link has received funding under the Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development fund and for its role in supporting the delivery of the commitment in the vision to end rough sleeping report from the Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the average in-patient length of stay was for (a) diabetes, (b) cancer, (c) dementia and (d) musculoskeletal conditions in (i) Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, (ii) East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, (iii) Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, (iv) Medway NHS Foundation Trust and (v) England in (A) 2008-09, (B) 2009-10 and (C) 2010-11;
	(2)  how many in-patient episodes for (a) diabetes, (b) cancer, (c) dementia and (d) musculoskeletal conditions there were in (i) Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, (ii) East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, (iii) Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, (iv) Medway NHS Foundation Trust and (v) England in (A) 2008-09, (B) 2009-10 and (C) 2010-11;
	(3)  what the average in-patient length of stay for (a) diabetes, (b) cancer, (c) dementia and (d) musculoskeletal conditions was in (i) Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, (ii) East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, (iii) Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, (iv) Medway NHS Foundation Trust and (v) England in (A) 2008-09, (B) 2009-10 and (C) 2010-11.

Paul Burstow: The information requested is shown in the following table. These data show a count of finished consultant episodes along with mean and median length of stay (days) where there was a primary diagnosis of (a) diabetes, (b) cancer, (c) dementia for each of the four trusts in each of the years specified.
	Data on musculoskeletal conditions have not been provided. The diagnosis ‘musculoskeletal condition’ is a broad term and accurate data cannot be derived from such a broad range of categories.
	
		
			 Number of finished consultant episodes (1)  (FCEs) and average length of stay (2)  for patients with primary diagnosis codes (3)  for (i) diabetes, (ii) cancer benign and malignant neoplasm, (iii) dementia and (iv) musculoskeletal conditions in Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and England (4) , between 2008-09 and 2010-11 (5) 
			   2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Primary diagnosis Trust FCEs Mean length of stay Median length of stay FCEs Mean length of stay Median length of stay FCEs Mean length of stay Median length of stay 
			 Diabetes England 90,532 4.6 2 95,531 4.3 2 102,715 4.0 2 
			  Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust 336 4.2 2 357 4.2 2 370 5.0 2 
			  Medway NHS Foundation Trust 442 5.7 2 537 5.3 2 565 6.2 2 
			  East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust 772 3.8 2 754 4.1 2 894 4.1 2 
			  Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 512 5.9 2 534 5.1 2 473 4.7 2 
			            
			 Cancer benign and malignant neoplasm England 1,649,678 6.1 3 1,701,525 6.0 3 1,739,904 5.7 2 
			  Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust 3,532 6.5 3 3,853 6.4 3 5,794 6.3 2 
			  Medway NHS Foundation Trust 3,906 6.2 3 4,531 5.8 2 5,108 6.1 3 
			  East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust 20,551 5.7 3 21,484 5.3 2 20,426 4.7 2 
			  Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 9,114 5.4 2 8,630 5.6 2 5,897 6.3 3 
			            
			 Dementia England 37,973 38.4 11 40,924 37.5 10 43,414 32.8 9 
			  Dartford And Gravesham NHS Trust 80 14.4 7.5 134 14.8 5 335 14.3 4 
			  Medway NHS Foundation Trust 209 14.3 5 227 14.5 4 251 14.4 6 
			  East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust 266 9.8 3 258 8.8 3 249 6.6 2 
			  Maidstone And Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 91 17.3 9 110 15.8 6.5 112 14.9 7 
		
	
	
		
			 (1) A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. (2) Length of stay (duration of episode)/Length of stay (duration of spell) The difference in days between the admission date and the episode end date (duration of episode) or discharge date (duration of spell), where both dates are given. LOS is based on hospital stays and only applies to ordinary admissions not day cases (unless otherwise stated). Information relating to LOS, including discharge method/destination, diagnoses and any operative procedures, is based only on the final episode of the spell. (3) Primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. The following ICD-10 codes have been used: Diabetes E10 Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus E11 Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus E12 Malnutrition-related diabetes mellitus E13 Other specified diabetes mellitus E14 Unspecified diabetes mellitus O24 Diabetes mellitus in pregnancy P70.2 Neonatal diabetes mellitus Cancer C00-C97 Malignant neoplasms D00-D09 In situ neoplasms D10-D36 Benign neoplasms D37-D48 Neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behaviour Dementia F00 Dementia in Alzheimer disease F01 Vascular dementia F02 Dementia in other diseases classified elsewhere F03 Unspecified dementia F04 Organic amnesic syndrome, not induced by alcohol and other psychoactive substances F05 Delirium, not induced by alcohol and other psychoactive substances F06 Other mental disorders due to brain damage and dysfunction and to physical disease F07 Personality and behavioural disorders due to brain disease, damage and dysfunction F09 Unspecified organic or symptomatic mental disorder G30 Alzheimer's disease It should be noted: F02 Dementia in other diseases classified elsewhere would generally be recorded in one of the secondary positions, therefore the figures provided may not be fully representative of the actual number of FCEs. Musculoskeletal conditions Clinical coding advice states: The term “musculoskeletal conditions” is broad and a definitive list of musculoskeletal conditions cannot be provided. “Musculoskeletal conditions” means ‘pertaining to the skeleton and muscles’ and these disorders can be found throughout the chapters in ICD-10. (4) Hospital Provider A provider code is a unique code that identifies an organisation acting as a health care provider (e.g. NHS trust or PCT). Hospital providers can also include treatment centres (TC). Normally, if data are tabulated by health care provider, the figure for an NHS trust gives the activity of all the sites as one aggregated figure. However, in the case of those with embedded treatment centres, these data are quoted separately. In these cases, ‘-X’ is appended to the code for the rest of the trust, to remind users that the figures are for all sites of the trust excluding the treatment centres. The quality of TC returns are such that data may not be complete. Some NHS trusts have not registered their TC as a separate site, and it is therefore not possible to identify their activity separately. Data from some independent sector providers, where the onus for arrangement of data flows is on the commissioner, may be missing. Care must be taken when using these data as the counts may be lower than true figures. Trust codes: RN7-X: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust RPA: Medway NHS Foundation Trust RW: East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust RWF: Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (5) Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care. Please note that these data should not be described as a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion.

Obesity

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason the Government's expert advisory group on obesity has been disbanded.

Anne Milton: The Government have made public health a priority and as such we are bringing in a new approach to obesity, as set out in “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Call to action on obesity in England” which was published in October. In light of our new approach we are bringing in new advisory arrangements for obesity. A copy of the “Call to action” has already been placed in the Library.
	Dr Susan Jebb, who chaired the expert advisory group, is continuing in her role as science adviser to the Department on obesity. There will be a new National Ambition Review Group on obesity, which will bring together key partners and experts from the academic and scientific field. Public Health England will also play a crucial role in providing robust intelligence and evidence to local areas.

Skin Cancer

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether, following the pilot of the collection of data on metastatic breast cancer, he plans to collect data on metastatic melanoma;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of clinical nurse specialists for metastatic melanoma; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many (a) elective and (b) emergency admissions were recorded for patients with a diagnosis of (i) skin cancer and (ii) metastatic melanoma by primary care trust in the latest year for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January, made the collection of data on secondary breast cancer a priority for 2011. Pilot projects are already under way and we anticipate that routine collection will begin in April 2012. It is our intention that the learning from this exercise will be applied to the collection of information on other forms of metastatic cancer in the future. No decisions regarding the next steps for metastatic data collection have been made at this time and are unlikely to be made until the routine collection of secondary-breast cancer data has been properly established and quality assured.
	The “2010 Census of Cancer Specialist Nurses (CNSs) in England” reported that there were 2,164.2 whole time equivalents CNSs in the 28 English cancer networks of which 119.68 worked in skin cancer and in the 2010 Cancer Patient Experience Survey 75% of skin cancer patients reported having a CNS.
	The survey also showed that cancer patients who have support from a CNS have an overall better experience of care. We expect the national health service to consider this in developing their policies to improve patient experience. To support the NHS to develop the CNS work force, the strategy sets out our intention to build the evidence base for the benefits and-costs savings that CNSs can offer. This follows an independent report we published in December 2010 that showed that, in many scenarios, the costs of additional support roles are likely to be outweighed by the savings that can be achieved.
	Data concerning the number of elective and emergency admissions for patients with a diagnosis of skin cancer or metastatic melanoma in the latest year for which figures are available by primary care trust have been placed in the Library. These data should not be described as a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion. To protect patient confidentiality figures between one and five have been replaced with an asterisk, and where it was still possible to identify numbers from the total the next smallest has been replaced.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Developing Countries: Biodiversity

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of UK aid to developing countries is intended to improve the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK increased its direct aid allocation to biodiversity from £37.6 million in 2008 to £39.4 million in 2009. The objective of ensuring environmental protection is now mainstreamed throughout DFID's programmes. The UK has further also allocated £2.6 million overseas development aid (ODA) this year towards supporting the Darwin initiative. More widely, we will increase our support to environmental initiatives as the International Climate Fund (2011-15) is implemented through programmes in areas such as forestry, climate-resistant agriculture and water resource management.
	Through the ICF, the UK will help to protect the world's forests and the livelihoods of 1.2 billion people who depend on them. The proportion of ICF spend currently allocated to forestry is £600 million of the total £2.9 billion which reflects how the UK prioritises the importance of ecosystems.

Developing Countries: Remittances

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the contribution of diasporas to international development through remittances and diaspora volunteering.

Andrew Mitchell: World Bank data shows that 200 million people live outside their country of origin. In 2010 international migrants remitted $325 billion (three times the level of overseas development assistance). A report “Making Migration Work for Development” (2010) by the DFID-funded Research Centre on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty, housed at the University of Sussex, shows that remittances are a relatively stable source of foreign exchange earnings and can boost growth in developing countries by financing investment, consumption and production growth. A joint study by DFID and the United Nations, “Impact of Remittances on Poverty” (2009), found that a 10% rise in remittances reduced the poverty headcount ratio by 3.9% in developing countries where remittances account for more than 5.0% of gross domestic product.
	Between 2008 and 2011 DFID provided support to diaspora volunteering organisations to help them increase the impact of their work in the countries and continents of heritage of diaspora communities. In 2011 DFID completed a project completion review which concluded that the project had achieved its outcome in establishing a functioning body to provide ongoing support for diaspora volunteering groups and through successfully supporting 15 diaspora organisations to provide high quality volunteering opportunities.

Diaspora Communities

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the mechanism and framework within his Department is for consultation of diaspora communities on international development matters.

Andrew Mitchell: Ministers and Department for International Development (DFID) officials regularly meet and consult with diaspora organisations both directly and through networks. In the past three weeks alone, there have been meetings and events with Somali diaspora groups in Cardiff and the Pakistani diaspora in Glasgow as well as a roundtable discussion on "Harnessing the diaspora to drive investment enterprise development and jobs in Africa".
	The Under-Secretary of State for International Development, my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr O'Brien) spoke at the launch of Africa-UK in February 2011, a new national initiative dedicated to enhancing the contribution of the diaspora to Africa's development. DFID also works with Comic Relief through the Common Ground Initiative to increase support to small and diaspora organisations, creating real and sustainable change in some of the poorest and most disadvantaged communities in Africa.

Horn of Africa

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa.

Andrew Mitchell: The Horn of Africa is facing the most serious humanitarian situation in the world today. Across the region, more than 13 million people require emergency assistance. The British Government was one of the first to step forward with significant funds and we continue to be at the forefront of the world's response, as the second largest bilateral donor to the crisis behind the US.
	The UK is supporting a range of interventions to alleviate the immediate crisis, and our support is already showing results. For example, in Ethiopia in June and July we provided food to 2.4 million people. UK support has also provided 247,000 people in Somalia with food and nutritional assistance, and almost 900,000 children have been vaccinated against measles—eventually over 1.3 million children will be vaccinated.
	Longer term solutions are vital to help communities and agricultural systems become more resilient. The UK is providing small farmers in Somalia with seeds, fertilisers and animal health assistance, and helping pastoralist communities in Ethiopia to protect their assets. We are also supporting the African Union's programme to boost agricultural productivity and improve food security.

JUSTICE

Departmental Audit

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many internal audits have taken place (a) in his Department and (b) in the non-departmental bodies for which his Department is responsible in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Kenneth Clarke: During the financial years 2010-11 and 2011-12 (to end October), Ministry of Justice (MOJ) Internal Audit and Assurance completed (a) 26 internal audits in MOJ core and (b) 381 internal audits in the arm’s length bodies for which the Department is responsible. Reports are published internally.
	Note :
	The figures reported above include the full years' audits completed in 2010-11.

Official Photographs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many official photographs have been taken of (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials in his Department for use in Government publications since May 2010; how many staff of his Department are expected to undertake photography of the ministerial and senior leadership team as part of their duties; and if he will make a statement.

Kenneth Clarke: 100 official photographs have been taken—in 10 sessions—since May 2010. Of these, 85 were of (a) Ministers and 15 of (b) senior officials.
	Nine members of the MOJ can undertake photography but it forms a minor part of each of their roles.

Detainee Inquiry

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress has been made by Sir Peter Gibson's Detainee Inquiry.

Kenneth Clarke: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I made to the House on 6 July 2011, Official Report, column 100WS. The Detainee Inquiry remains in a preparatory phase pending the outcome of related police investigations.

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of employment and support allowance appeals lodged in each quarter from the second quarter 2010-11 to date were determined (a) within six weeks, (b) between six and 12 weeks, (c) between 12 and 18 weeks, (d) between 18 and 26 weeks and (e) more than 26 weeks after submission.

Jonathan Djanogly: The following table shows the time taken from the date of a disputed Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decision for employment and support allowance (ESA) being lodged with DWP to the date of clearance by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).
	
		
			 Number of appeals (1) 
			  Fewer than 6 weeks 6 to 12 weeks 12 to 18 weeks 18 to 26 weeks More than 26 weeks 
			 2010-11      
			 Quarter 3 410 4,700 8,700 8,600 23,400 
			 Quarter 4 410 4,400 8,900 9,100 29,600 
			       
			 2011-12      
			 Quarter 1 420 5,000 7,000 7,200 31,200 
			 Quarter 2 380 4,000 7,600 9,500 29,400 
			 (1 )This case data has been rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 unless the numbers are too low for this rounding protocol to apply. 
		
	
	ESA appeals take an average of 8.13 weeks from the date of lodgement with DWP to arrive at the tribunal, as at September 2011 (the latest period for which data is available).
	The introduction of ESA, together with other changes in the welfare system, has led to significant increases in appeals. HMCTS has taken strong measures to increase capacity and 60% more social security and child support appeals were cleared in September 2011 compared to September 2009. In each of the 11 months to September 2011 more ESA and incapacity benefit appeals were disposed of than received.

Employment Tribunals Service: Fees

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans his Department has to introduce fees for workplace tribunals.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government will be consulting on proposals to introduce fees into the employment tribunals and Employment Appeal Tribunal shortly. The consultation document will set out the options for proposed fee structures and the indicative fee levels which might be applied. No decision will be made on the level of fees to be paid until that consultation has been completed.

Metal Theft

Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many successful prosecutions have been brought under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in cases involving metal theft.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on offences provided by the statutes under which proceedings are brought but not all the circumstances of each case. It is therefore not possible to identify from these centrally held data those proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 involving metal theft.

SCOTLAND

Work Programme

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the impact in Scotland of the proposal to introduce compulsory community work programmes for those who have completed the Work programme.

David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), and I are in contact with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), on a range of issues relating to the Government's welfare reform agenda, including the Work programme.

TRANSPORT

Air Travel Organisers Licensing Reform

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of new travel businesses which will be required to apply for an ATOL certificate under her Department's proposals.

Theresa Villiers: The Government consulted on proposed reforms to the Air Travel Organisers Licensing (ATOL) scheme between 23 June and 15 September 2011.
	The Impact Assessment that formed part of the consultation estimated that an additional 600 businesses would be brought into the ATOL scheme, if the proposed reforms were implemented.
	Under the proposed reforms, all these businesses would be required to provide an ATOL certificate to consumers on purchasing an ATOL protected holiday or flight as a means of improving clarity to consumers about their entitlement to protection under the ATOL scheme. All existing ATOL licensed businesses would also have this obligation.

Aviation: Security

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will publish all correspondence between her Department and (a) airport operators and (b) airline companies concerning border checks in the last 12 months.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 15 November 2011
	The Department has no record of correspondence with airport operators or airline companies on border checks in the last 12 months. Airport operators and airlines, however, have raised passenger facilitation aspects of border controls with Ministers and departmental officials on a number of occasions over the last 12 months, not least in the South East Airports Taskforce, which I chaired, and in the regular Facilitation Stakeholders Forum, which officials chair.

Chiltern Railways

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects to determine the application for the Chiltern Railways (Bicester to Oxford Improvements) Order.

Michael Penning: The Inspector who conducted an inquiry into the proposals in this application endorsed them in most respects but recommended that the Order should not be made. This was because of the likely lack of a licence from Natural England to carry out works which would affect the habitat of bats. Following the close of the inquiry we understand that the applicants (the Chiltern Railway Company Limited) and Natural England have been in discussions with a view to agreeing measures to protect bats and great crested newts which would also be affected by the proposals. On 15 November officials wrote to the applicants to ask what progress has been made. Once we know the outcome of those discussions, we will make every effort to conclude the statutory processes as soon as is reasonably possible.

Growing Places Fund

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Ministers in her Department made public mention of (a) the Growing Places Fund, (b) the money which was subsequently to be allocated to the Growing Places Fund and (c) the stated intention of the Growing Places Fund prior to the official announcement of the policy on 7 November 2011.

Norman Baker: holding answer 24 November 2011
	The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander), announced on 18 September plans to establish a new £500 million Growing Places Fund to support local infrastructure projects which unlock housing and economic growth.
	I refer the right hon. Member to the statement by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 12 October 2011, Official Report, column 445, and to the answer by the Minister for Decentralisation and Cities, the right hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark), of 25 October 2011, Official Report, column 124W. The Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening), also made reference to the Fund at the Transport Select Committee on 19 October 2011.
	The announcement of 7 November 2011 was the publication of the Fund's prospectus and the indicative allocations to individual Local Enterprise Partnerships.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Cold Weather Payments: Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the contribution by the Minister of State for Pensions of 22 November 2011, Official Report, column 193, how many homes are affected by the recent decision to change the cold weather station in Northern Ireland from inland Ballykelly to Magilligan on the coast; and what estimate he has made of the number of homes that are covered by this station situated further inland than the cold weather station itself.

Steve Webb: Decisions on the weather stations to use in the Northern Ireland Cold Weather Payment Scheme are for the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland. However I am aware that the Cold Weather Payment scheme in Northern Ireland was reviewed this summer following the closure of the Ballykelly weather station.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether claimants of contributory employment and support allowance in the Work Related Activity Group whose benefit is time-limited, and who are then subsequently placed into the Support Group following later assessments but do not meet the income related conditions and have not accrued further years of contribution since they were time-limited, will receive contributory employment and support allowance.

Chris Grayling: People could re-qualify for contributory employment and support allowance if they are subsequently placed in the Support Group after their contributory benefit has been time limited where they received contributory employment and support allowance for at least one day in the tax year prior to the benefit year in which the new claim is made. This is in addition to where claimants leave benefit for work and accrue the necessary contributions, or remain or become entitled to income-related employment and support allowance.

Work Programme: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with (a) the Scottish Executive, (b) COSLA, (c) the Scottish Trade Unions Congress and (d) Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations on his plans to introduce compulsory community work programmes for those who have completed the Work programme.

Chris Grayling: Even with the improved support offered in the Work programme some jobseeker's allowance claimants may reach the end of their time on the programme and remain on benefits and looking for work.
	To understand how best to support very long-term unemployed jobseeker's allowance claimants who may reach the end of the Work programme from 2013, the Department is running a small-scale trial in four Jobcentre Plus districts in England to test whether, with an increased level of support and opportunities to gain work experience, longer-term claimants have greater success in finding and staying in employment.
	The evaluation of the trials as well as future discussions with key stakeholders, including many listed, will help influence the design and delivery of the national programme in 2013.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the effects of changes in private sector rents on local housing allowance in each region since May 2011.

Steve Webb: The information is not available.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the percentage change has been in local housing allowance caseload made up by people in employment (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority area since May 2010.

Steve Webb: The following table sets out the number of housing benefit (local housing allowance) claimants in Great Britain in employment and not in receipt of income support, jobseekers allowance (income-based), employment and support allowance (income based), or pension credit (guaranteed credit) in May 2010 and in August 2011.
	
		
			 LHA tenants Number/percentage 
			 May 2010 272,970 
			 August 2011 388,030 
			 Percentage difference 42 
			 Notes: 1. A very small proportion of individuals whose housing benefit claim has been passported (claimants in receipt of one of the benefits listed in the answer above) may also be earning some income from employment. However, the employment status of these individuals is not collected. 2. Recipients are as at second Thursday of the month. 3. Local housing allowance tenants may include a small number of non-LHA cases making a new claim since 7 April 2008. 4. This will include recipients in caravan accommodation. 5. Case load figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 6. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. 7. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. 8. The data is available monthly from November 2008 and August 2011 is the latest. 9. Local housing allowance was introduced in the private deregulated sector from April 2008. 
		
	
	The local housing allowance (LHA) case load by local authority area is currently unavailable. We are aware of an inconsistency in the data which affects the distinction between LHA and non-LHA private sector tenants. We are working towards resolving this issue. It affects some local authority areas, but makes little difference at GB level.

Jobcentre Plus

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many local entrepreneur mentors have been recruited by Jobcentre Plus (a) in each local authority area and (b) by gender since May 2011.

Chris Grayling: Jobcentre Plus does not recruit local entrepreneur mentors.

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of contribution-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA) were deemed ineligible for income-based JSA when their contribution-based JSA ended; how many such claimants paid a national insurance contribution within one month of their income-based JSA claim being disallowed; and how many of those initially deemed ineligible received income-based JSA within six months of their initial income-based JSA claim being disallowed, for each month in the last two years.

Chris Grayling: The information is not available.

Pensioners: Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in each region were receiving housing benefit in October 2011; and how he proposes that housing benefit will be paid after it is no longer administered by local authorities.

Steve Webb: These are the latest data available:
	
		
			 Housing benefit recipients aged 65 and over, by region—August 2011 
			  Number 
			 Great Britain 1,279,120 
			 North East 78,920 
			 North West 157,430 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 121,970 
			 East Midlands 86,850 
			 West Midlands 120,020 
			 East of England 108,270 
			 London 167,890 
			 South East 142,070 
			 South West 99,750 
			 Wales 62,120 
			 Scotland 133,820 
			 Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) 
		
	
	Housing benefit will be replaced by a new element of pension credit, the housing credit, to provide support for pensioners with their rent. The housing credit will broadly follow the current rules that apply in housing benefit, including payment arrangements.

Youth Unemployment

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects youth unemployment in Walsall North constituency to be substantially reduced; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The most recent forecast from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility is for unemployment to level out and then fall from the second half of 2012. There is no separate forecast for youth unemployment but this would be expected to follow a broadly similar trend.
	The Government are investing in policies to support young people to remain active in their job search and help them to engage in real work with employers. This is supported by access to work experience opportunities and referrals to apprenticeships and sector-based work academies.
	This help ensures that most young people flow off jobseeker's allowance quickly. Nationally, of young people who make a claim for JSA, 60% leave within the first three months and 80% within six months. Those who need more intensive support or who become long-term unemployed are referred to the Work Programme at three or nine months.

Universal Credit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the costs that will be incurred by local authorities with contracts for benefit delivery where those contracts extend beyond the introduction of universal credit.

Chris Grayling: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is working with Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the devolved Administrations and the local authority associations to understand the full impact of the introduction of universal credit and housing costs for pensioners on current local authority benefit services.
	The specific impact on the contractual arrangements of the local authorities and associated costs will only be understood when the detailed migration schedule of housing benefit claimants to universal credit (working age) and pension credit (pension age) is defined.

Work Capability Assessments

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the contract under which work capability assessments are conducted will expire.

Chris Grayling: The current Medical Services Contract will expire on 31 August 2015 unless the Department takes up the option to extend to a maximum of 31 August 2017.

Work Capability Assessments

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average duration in (a) days and (b) weeks is of the employment and support allowance assessment phase for incapacity benefit claimants who are being reassessed.

Chris Grayling: Claimants who are converted to employment and support allowance as part of the incapacity benefit reassessment process do not have an assessment phase, they receive the relevant component from the first day of conversion.